Chapter 477 - 475: He Yunkong’s Hostility

They clashed in a single exchange of moves.

Luo Tian easily neutralized Yan Shan’s attack and sent him retreating!

His Fifth-Layer Celestial Furnace Treasure Body was already nearing the Great Success Level. His physical strength alone was comparable to a typical warrior at the Peak of Earth Element Realm Fifth Layer!

But Luo Tian’s greatest advantage was his Martial Venerable Level Cultivation Technique, the Celestial Essence Water Condensation Technique. His True Essence was nearly as potent as someone at the Earth Element Realm Seventh Layer.

The power unleashed by combining these two strengths made it only natural that he could force Yan Shan back.

"How is he so strong?"

Yan Feng was quite surprised.

Luo Tian’s Cultivation was only at the Peak of Earth Element Realm Fourth Layer, dead last among everyone on the Main Peak!

His younger brother, Yan Shan, was at the Earth Element Realm Seventh Layer. How could his Celestial Level Fist Technique possibly be defeated?

’An impressive Body Refinement Technique.’

A strange glint flashed through He Yunkong’s eyes.

For Luo Tian to have comprehended Sword Intent to the Initial Realm with such a low Cultivation was already incredible.

’Did he also divide his focus to practice a Body Refinement Technique?’

"Again!"

Yan Shan’s expression turned grim.

’I hadn’t known before that Luo Tian also practiced a Body Refinement Technique. This time, I’ll be more careful and just keep my distance.’

SWOOSH!

After floating back twenty or thirty meters, Yan Shan once again unleashed the Black Ghost Seal, its power even greater than before.

An expanding Black Seal Fist Light, emitting a chilling Ghost Qi, tore through the air toward him!

Unperturbed, Luo Tian met it head-on. A dark, cold current surged from his palm, and with a single strike, he once again shattered Yan Shan’s attack.

He unleashed his Perfect Realm Wind Manipulation Technique.

WHOOSH!

Luo Tian’s figure seemed to vanish into the night, instantly closing in on Yan Shan.

Yan Shan immediately retreated.

But suddenly, a dark Cold Current Vortex erupted from Luo Tian’s body, unleashing a tyrannical Yin Netherworld Cold Power that swept across a forty-to-fifty-meter radius.

Luo Tian’s Nether Dragon Divine Vein had been continuously cultivated using the great treasure, the Ice Dragon Celestial Cold Stone, raising its Cold Attribute to a truly astonishing level!

The entire Shuixin Lake felt as if it had been plunged into the depths of winter.

A layer of frost condensed on Yan Shan’s body, and the circulation of his blood and True Essence slowed rapidly.

The True Essence Shield he conjured was also frozen in an instant, its defensive power plummeting as fine cracks began to appear.

"What tyrannical Martial Vein Power! It must be at least Celestial Tier!"

Yan Shan was utterly shocked.

’I have to get away from him to lessen the effect.’

But to make matters worse, the Cold Current Vortex was also accompanied by a terrifying suction force!

Coupled with Luo Tian’s ethereal and formless Body Technique, Yan Shan was completely unable to pull away and could only be forced to fight him head-on!

BAM! THWACK! BAM!

Explosions echoed continuously in mid-air.

Corroded by the Cold Current Vortex, Yan Shan’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and he quickly found himself at a disadvantage.

BAM!

Yan Shan was sent flying by one of Luo Tian’s palm strikes. His True Essence Shield shattered, a layer of frost covering his body and leaving him stiff.

Luo Tian swiftly closed in and struck out with another palm, hitting Yan Shan on the head and knocking him unconscious.

’I didn’t want to fight, but Yan Shan used every method to force my hand, even stooping to threats involving Xia Bingyue.’

’Since that’s how it is... ’

’I’ll teach him a harsh lesson! One he’ll never forget!’

BAM! BAM! BAM!

In mid-air, Yan Shan was completely on the receiving end, like a punching bag being kicked and beaten about by Luo Tian.

This miserable scene made the hearts of the many disciples who had offended Luo Tian pound with fear!

’So ruthless! To humiliate Yan Shan like this!’

The slender-browed woman was even thinking, ’I should offer Luo Tian a toast and apologize later.’

"Luo Tian, stop! You’ve won!"

Yan Feng bellowed, his Earth Element Realm Eighth Layer aura flaring out.

"Senior Brother Yan Shan wanted to have a proper spar with me. It’s only been a dozen or so moves. I’d like to spar a little longer," Luo Tian said with a faint smile.

The corner of Yan Feng’s mouth twitched.

’This isn’t a spar, it’s a one-sided beating!’

"Luo Tian, stop!"

Yan Feng shouted again. If this continued, Yan Shan could suffer serious, lasting injuries.

"Fine. Senior Brother Yan Shan refuses to fight back. This is getting boring."

Luo Tian sighed and sent Yan Shan flying with another palm strike.

Frozen like an icicle, Yan Shan plunged into Shuixin Lake, emerging like a drowned rat.

WHOOSH!

An afterimage flickered, and Luo Tian was back in his original seat, calmly sitting down and picking up his teacup to take a sip.

"Senior Brother Luo Tian, what... what amazing Palm Technique!"

"Amazing! As expected of first place in the Main Peak assessment!"

After a few moments, the surrounding disciples finally reacted, showering him with one compliment after another.

After today’s battle, the newly promoted Main Peak Disciples were utterly convinced of Luo Tian’s strength!

He Yunkong also gave a slight nod, but his expression was one of boredom.

’I came to see the Initial Realm Sword Intent, but I didn’t get the chance.’

Just then.

A figure as pure as a white lotus appeared at the gathering, instantly drawing everyone’s gaze.

"It’s Yue Linfei!"

Yue Linfei was also famous on the Main Peak.

She was stunningly beautiful, exceptionally talented, and she was also He Yunkong’s junior sister.

"Senior Brother Yunkong, what are you doing here?"

Yue Linfei walked toward He Yunkong.

A gentle smile immediately appeared on He Yunkong’s face as he slowly began to speak. "I came with a friend to see..."

"It’s you? What are you doing here?"

Yue Linfei’s beautiful eyes suddenly lit up as she spoke with great surprise, cutting off He Yunkong.

Yue Linfei walked over to Luo Tian, who was beside He Yunkong.

"Why can’t I be here?" Luo Tian asked in return.

He Yunkong’s expression changed. ’Junior Sister actually knows Luo Tian?’

"Perfect timing! I have a question I’d like to ask you!" Yue Linfei said, two small dimples appearing on her jade-like face.

"Again? I don’t know anything."

The corner of Luo Tian’s mouth twitched as he refused outright.

"You don’t even know what I’m going to ask yet," Yue Linfei said, a little vexed.

’Luo Tian is so petty,’ she thought. ’All I want is for him to answer a question, and he’s so unwilling.’

"I am dull-witted and my knowledge is shallow," Luo Tian said with a deadpan expression.

He was worried that Yue Linfei would get addicted to asking him questions and start pestering him whenever she had nothing better to do. Answering them would consume the power of his Celestial Book.

Seeing this exchange, He Yunkong’s face darkened instantly.

’I have long adored my junior sister and consider her my private possession. I would never allow anyone else to take her away!’ he thought. ’And now, my beloved junior sister is acting so familiar with another man.’

"Senior Brother, you know him too. Please help me convince him," Yue Linfei said to He Yunkong.

He Yunkong’s expression stiffened slightly.

’I adore Yue Linfei; how could I possibly persuade another man to interact more with my junior sister?’

"Junior Sister, if he’s unwilling, you shouldn’t force him," He Yunkong said in a low voice.

"Alright."

Yue Linfei nodded and didn’t press the matter.

The gathering continued.

The arrival of He Yunkong and Yue Linfei made the gathering livelier than ever.

The new Main Peak Disciples were shocked. Luo Tian seemed to be on familiar terms with both He Yunkong and Yue Linfei, two people whose status was far beyond what Yan Shan’s older brother, Yan Feng, could compare to.

’Luo Tian’s connections are so extensive!’

During the gathering, Luo Tian learned many useful things and became more familiar with the Tai Yuan Sect.

He also learned that in one month, the various top-tier major powers of the Tai Yuan Domain would bring their talented disciples to an exchange event with the disciples of the Tai Yuan Sect.

At that time, they might even have the chance to offer some guidance to the geniuses from other factions.

The gathering soon ended, and everyone dispersed.

Luo Tian, Xia Bingyue, and Qi Yuntian also departed.

"Junior Sister, how do you know him?" He Yunkong asked probingly.

He could tell that his junior sister was very interested in Luo Tian.

"Senior Brother, he’s the interesting person from the Eighth Peak I told you about," Yue Linfei said with a smile.

"It’s him?"

A cold glint flashed through He Yunkong’s eyes.

"Oh, right! I remember now. I invited him to my last gathering, but he didn’t show up."

Yue Linfei felt a little displeased and wanted to go find Luo Tian to ask him about it.

In reality, Luo Tian had suddenly sensed a powerful threat back then and performed an inference, which led one of the clues to point toward Yue Linfei.

Furthermore, Luo Tian had also calculated that nothing good would come from attending Yue Linfei’s gathering, which was why he had bailed.

"Senior Brother, how do you know him?" Yue Linfei asked.

She had planned to introduce Luo Tian to He Yunkong at the last gathering, but Luo Tian hadn’t come.

"I listened to some rumors and was deceived by him, that’s all," He Yunkong said coldly.

’Any good impression I had of him is completely gone!’

’Perhaps Luo Tian had never comprehended Sword Intent to the Initial Realm at all. The two Main Peak Disciples at the True Martial Wall that day must have been mistaken. After all, for someone at the Middle Tier Earth Element Realm to comprehend Sword Intent to the Initial Realm was simply too hard to believe.’

"Really?"

"Junior Sister, don’t be so quick to trust others. Luo Tian is not a good person. If you don’t believe me, you can ask around. At today’s gathering, he mercilessly humiliated a fellow senior brother, causing him to lose all face..."

...

「On the way back.」

"Luo Tian, you actually know Yue Linfei and He Yunkong?"

Qi Yuntian asked.

He never expected Luo Tian to have connections on the Main Peak.

At the gathering today, Yan Shan had utterly lost face, and his older brother, Yan Feng, had not only failed to intimidate Luo Tian but had been thoroughly intimidated himself.

"I only met Yue Linfei by chance..."

Luo Tian didn’t think much of it.

But then his expression suddenly changed, and he turned his head to ask, "Did you just say... He Yunkong?"

"Yes, the True Disciple who came with you."

"So he’s actually He Yunkong!"

Luo Tian’s expression turned grave.

Qi Yuntian was slightly taken aback. Luo Tian didn’t even know He Yunkong’s name.

And indeed, Luo Tian didn’t know.

He had only met He Yunkong by chance, and the other man had insisted on following him.

But now, Luo Tian finally understood why he had felt a sense of crisis from He Yunkong, and why he had sensed that He Yunkong would become his enemy.

He Yunkong was the disciple of his master Mu Yunshi’s enemy—the formidable rival with whom Luo Tian had a five-year pact!

"It seems He Yunkong’s master never even told him my name," Luo Tian murmured to himself.

Evidently, He Yunkong’s master had never taken the pact seriously at all and didn’t think his own disciple could possibly lose.

After all, back then, in the eyes of He Yunkong’s master, Luo Tian was just a country bumpkin who had just come from Dongchen.

His own apprentice, on the other hand, was a True Disciple of the Tai Yuan Sect. The two of them were from completely different worlds; the gap between them was simply too vast!

’This is good, too. My master’s enemy doesn’t know I’ve come to the Tai Yuan Sect, and He Yunkong is also unaware of the truth. I should be able to live a little more peacefully for now.’

At this moment, Luo Tian recalled something else.

Unaware of the situation, He Yunkong had come over and backed him up.

Luo Tian couldn’t help but find it amusing that his fated enemy had helped him out. He wondered what He Yunkong would think if he ever found out the truth.

「The next day.」

Luo Tian arrived at the Taiwu Pavilion!

He was going to exchange for a powerful Swordsmanship technique!

His Nine Heavens Sword Technique was a Celestial Level Low Grade skill, and he had already cultivated it to its peak.

In the Tai Yuan Sect, most Main Peak Disciples cultivated Celestial Level Martial Skills and Body Techniques.

The Taiwu Pavilion had four floors, each one filled with a dazzling array of Martial Arts Classics.

Luo Tian went to the third floor, where all the manuals were either Celestial Level Middle Grade or Upper Grade.

"So many?"

Luo Tian was a little shocked as he glanced around.

On the Dongchen Continent, Celestial Level Middle Grade techniques were considered Sect Level treasures among the Four Major Sects. As for Celestial Level Upper Grade techniques, perhaps none existed on the entire Dongchen Continent.

But here, there were at least a hundred Celestial Level Middle and Upper Grade Cultivation Techniques and Martial Skills.